Prime Minister at the opening. One of the most difficult such projects in the world

The line leads from Udhampur, through Śrinagar to the town of Baramulla, which thus became the northernmost city India having a railway connection. The state -owned company Indian, responsible for the implementation of the investment, announced that it was one of the most difficult projects of this type in the world.

The lead of the railway line was associated with, among others with the construction of 36 tunnels and over 940 bridges. The biggest difficulty was the erection of a steel-concrete crossing 1315 meters long above the Ćhenab River, which runs at an altitude of 359 meters above its trough. It was emphasized that the bridge was built to “survive 120 years and withstand extreme weather conditions, including a wind with a speed of up to 260 km/h”.

The Indian government has announced that the investment cost about $ 5 billion. It has been announced that from Saturday the line will be made available to passengers.

The railway to Śrinagar is to stimulate tourism and contribute to the economic recovery of the region, access to which it remained very limited for years.

Agencies emphasize that the visit of the head of the Indian government in Kashmir was the first such journey of Modi since the armed conflict with Pakistan from a month ago.

From 10 May, an unconditional truce has been in the Indian-Pakistani conflict. Earlier, there were fire to exchange fire between the conflicted countries for four days. The cause of tension was the April terrorist attack in the Indian part of Kashmir. India accused the Pakistan authorities with the bombers. The Pakistani side categorically denied these accusations. Both countries have a dispute over Kashmir from the division of British India and the creation of independent India and Pakistan in 1947.